Ok, so I figured out how to check the timing with a little help, now I want to set it back 4 degrees to where it was from the factory. Where is this distrubuter bolt? This is just my guess as to what it is? If its not where should I look for the thing, and do I need to pull the cap off to get to it?
And once its loose what do I just grab the cap and turn the whole thing, or do I need to turn somthing else?
Should I ajust it with the car running or off?

 

That would be the bolt... as for getting to it, I have heard of people using a crows foot with an extension. I believe it should be 9/16. You could also take a cheep box end wrench and bend it. I use the later, just because I had an old 9/16 wrench and a vice handy. It's bent in almost a L with the box end being on the short side of the bend, then the shank and the open end is the long side of the bend. It's not the best way to get to it, but it works, I usually use a pliers on the end of the wrench to tighten and loosen the bolt.

Make sure you set your ECM into bypass mode, there is a little brown wire near the blower motor on the firewall, you must unplug the connector there to read the actual timing.

You want to set your timing with the car running...

Just turn the distributor and cap a bit, i believe counter clockwise is advance and clockwise is retard? not too sure on that. but it's easy once you have the bolt loose, timing light hooked up and the bypass wire disconnected.

 

Unhook the ESC connector. It's located near the blower motor on the passenger side firewall. It'll be the brown wire sticking out of a black wire loom. Just separate the connector and leave it sit.

Attach the red connector to the positive ("+" or red) terminal on the battery, and the black connector to the negative ("-" or black) on the battery.

Hook up the timing light using the inductive pickup to the #1 sparkplug wire. It's the one that's on the driver's side of the engine, closest to the radiator.

Loosen the distributor hold down bolt just enough that it takes a little effort to be able to rotate the distributor either clockwise or counter clockwise.

Start the engine and aim the timing gun straight down between the water pump and the engine block. Look for the groove in the damper.

A stock LO3 should be set at 0* BTDC. The groove should be lined up to the first "V" on the timing tab (the one closest to the driver's side). If not, rotate the distributor one way or the other until it is. At this point ignore the other "V' grooves.

Turn the engine off and tighten the dist. hold down bolt. Start the car and check the timing again to be sure the dist. didn't move while you were tightening the hold-down bolt. If so, correct it.

Once you're done, turn off the car and hook the ESC wire back together. Take it for a drive and see if that feels better.

When using a timing gun with a dial, only use the first “V” groove on the timing tab. If the timing mark on the balancer doesn’t line up with the “V” groove on the timing tab, rotate the dial on the back of the gun until it does. Whatever number the dial is pointing to is where the advance is set BTDC.

If you don't have a dial, then move the dist. counter-clockwise until the mark on the damper moves into the next groove toward the pass. side of the car. That's 4* BTDC.

 

The item you have circled is the bolt holding your distributor. Loosen it just enough to where you can turn the cap with a little force. (Do not remove the cap) If you do not have a distributor wrench to loosen the bolt, use a crow’s foot. Once you have loosen the bolt holding the distributor, I am assuming you have the timing light on and disconnected the appropriate wire, start the car and use your timing gun to check the timing. (Careful of the excess cable from your timing gun, try to keep it away from the accessories) I forgot which way to turn the distributor to retard the timing but you will see the mark on the balancer move as you turn the distributor. Once timing is set, tighten the distributor bolt and check the timing again to make sure it didn't move while you were tightening the bolt.

OOPS you beat me to it, need to type faster............

 

No. I don't type fast. I have those instructions saved in Word.

 

I usually also get a bottle of White Out and paint the groove in the balancer so you can see it better with the gun.